


Journey to Olive

by Cor321



Series: A Journey to Parenthood [1]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: #schmicoweek, M/M, a prompt that breaks your heart, the journey to parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-30 19:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18321332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cor321/pseuds/Cor321
Summary: Nico and Levi had been married for 6 months when they decided to start the adoption process. Before long they get chosen by a birth mom and their journey to parenthood starts.





	Journey to Olive

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt that breaks your heart.
> 
> So the theme I chose has to do with adoption. This is based on adoption where I live so it might not be the same in Seattle or where you live. This theme is close to my heart because my uncle actually went through the process of adoption so a lot of what I based my timelines and info has to do with that. Get ready for the emotional rollercoaster.

It was six months into wedded bliss that Nico and Levi started the adoption process. Sure Levi was still a resident at the time, but they knew that it could take years before they got matched. Six months later they got a phone call from their social worker Sarah, they had got chosen by a birth mom. Her name was Jessica, she was 19, the dad wasn’t in the picture and she was trying desperately to do what was best for her baby. Everything was coming together so quickly, Jessica was due only two weeks later. It was equal parts exciting as it was nerve-racking. The one thought that kept nagging Nico was the 21 days, 21 days after the baby was born where Jessica could change her mind and they would have to give up their child no questions asked. It was suggested to wait until after these twenty-one days to share with your family and friends the news, he supposes it’s similar to when a couple is pregnant and they don’t tell anyone for the first trimester. He gets that you don’t want to tell people till it’s a sure thing because the fewer people you tell early on the fewer people you have to tell if something does go wrong. Nico gets all that but at this point, he just wants to tell all of his family and friends, as a compromise he and Levi settle on having a party on the 22nd day to introduce their child to the world.

 

Just because they aren’t telling anybody didn’t mean that they weren’t prepared. A few days after they got the call they picked out the big items, the crib, and a rocking chair. Their apartment had huge closets so there would be more than enough room for all the baby’s clothes in there. A week after they found out Nico had been coming home from a busy day at work and he just couldn’t wait to cuddle his husband. He looked around the apartment but couldn’t find him, not until he checked the nursery that is. When he opened the door he was met with his husband standing in their now finished nursery.

 

Levi started rambling before Nico got the chance to say anything, “I hope you like it, I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you to help. I was in target and I saw the cutest elephant stuffed animal,” he said while pointing at the elephant that was perched in the crib. “And then I went through the infant bedding, just to get ideas and the grey popped out at me because it's gender neutral so I bought the bedding set too. Before I left target I saw this super soft rug and it matched the bedding. And then I went to Rona, again for ideas for the paint color, and I figured I might as well go all in so I bought that too. The moral of the story is I should not be allowed shopping unsupervised because I have no self-control when it comes to this baby.” Levi closed the distance between the two men and looked up at Nico shining his big doe eyes.

 

“It’s perfect Levi,” kissing his forehead before continuing, “and by the way, those eyes should be illegal. You could buy a boat and convince me it’s a good idea with those eyes. It’s an unfair advantage.” He chuckled before pulling Levi in for a sweet gentle kiss.

 

_Day 1_

Twelve days after the first call Sarah phoned to tell them Jessica was in labor. She was giving birth at Seattle Presbyterian. The two men had never been so excited and so nervous at the same time. They got to the hospital and paced anxiously in the waiting room waiting for news that their baby was born. Nico had just come back from getting coffee for both of them when the nurse came out letting them know that their baby was here, a little girl.

 

As Levi held their baby girl, Nico looked at his little family in awe, it was finally complete and he was over the moon. But Nico couldn’t help but notice Jessica, with silent tears streaming down her face as she watched the new family get acquainted. This was one of the happiest moments of his life, but he couldn’t help but notice the sadness that overwhelmed her.

_Day 2_

As Nico held her in his arms he brought one hand to his face, overcome with how precious and beautiful this one baby girl was. She was just one day old and sitting here with his family he couldn’t imagine his life without these two. It’s true when they tell you there’s no love like the love you have for your child, Nico felt his heart overflowing with love he didn’t even know was possible.

 

Levi broke Nico out of his daze, “Being a dad suits you.” He said with a soft smile.

“It does, doesn’t it.” Nico shot back with his trademark smirk before looking back down at the bundle in his arms. “You know before I met you I never imagined I’d be a dad, but when I met you this whole part of me was unlocked.” He looked back up at his husband and smiled, “ and I couldn’t be more thankful that you’re here with me, with us.”

Levi stood up and closed the distance between them and placed a peck on his husband’s forehead. Proceeding to sit beside his husband he took out some of the piles of paperwork they had yet to fill out. “I know we don’t have to fill this all out now, but why don’t we think of a name.”

 

Nico looked back with a smile and sighed, “Why did we have all boys names? Hmmm... what about Chelsea?”

 

Levi shook his head, “nope nope nope, I knew someone with that name... she was a bitch.” Levi shuttered and Nico laughed.

 

“Okay, what about Linda?”

 

“Nice name, but doesn’t really fit her. How about Olive?” Nico looked down at his daughter and then back up at his husband.

“It’s perfect. For her middle name do you like Lacey?”

 

Levi smiled back, before grazing his daughter’s cheek, “Little Olive Lacey Kim-Schmitt.”

All of the paperwork that needed to be done could wait, right now they were doing exactly what they needed to be doing, and that’s spending time together.

 

_Day 7_

It’s 11 am and Nico is already on his third cup of coffee. As Levi is rocking their baby girl to sleep, Nico can’t help but think back on this past week. He doesn’t think he’s ever been so tired, even as an intern who went days without a proper nights sleep it was nothing compared to this. As tired as he was though, Nico wouldn’t change a thing, being a father and husband gave him so much pride and joy.

 

_Day 8_

Day 8 began much the same as the past week, Nico got up with Olive, changed and fed her. At the same time, Levi made coffee for the two of them and made them a quick breakfast, this morning it was blueberry pancakes. After the two men finished their breakfast Levi brought Olive to her nursery to put her down for her morning nap. As Nico was cleaning up the dishes from breakfast his phone started to ring. He took his phone out of his pocket, quickly glancing at the caller ID before answering. “Hi, Sarah.”

 

“Hi Nico,” she said tentatively, “I am going to need you and Levi to come in as soon as you can, and make sure Olive is with you.”

 

Nico’s stomach dropped, his mouth dry and his heart started pounding. “Sarah, what’s going on, did we fill out some forms wrong?”

 

“I’ll explain when you get here, just please get here as soon as you can.” And then she hung up as the line went dead Nico’s mind was racing. Maybe they just filled some of the paperwork wrong, but his mind couldn’t stop thinking that maybe Jessica had changed her mind. Nico stood there, hands gripping the countertop trying desperately to slow his breathing down before going to the other room where his husband was so blissfully ignorant. After a couple of deep breaths, Nico willed himself to move, however, unsteady his legs felt. Somehow he made to the doorway of the nursery, and a pang of guilt hit him when he saw Levi rubbing Olive’s back as she drifted off to sleep.

 

“Babe,” Nico said, his voice cracking as he spoke, “that was Sarah on the phone.” Levi whipped his head around. “She needs all of us to go down to the office, she didn’t say why.”

 

“No,” Levi chocked out, his eyes glossing over. “This can’t be happening.”

Nico starting packing everything they could need, Levi was still frozen in his spot unable to move. In the ten minutes that it took Nico to pack Levi hadn’t moved an inch his body frozen while his mind raced.

 

Finally, as Nico was getting Olive into her car seat Levi spoke, “She changed her mind.”

 

Nico looked toward his husband, “We don’t know that.”

 

Levi looked back at him pleading for Nico to correct him, “You and I both know we filled out the paperwork right, there’s nothing else it could be.”

 

Nico just went back to buckling Olive’s car seat, bringing her to their room. “Babe, we need to get changed and leave.” So they did just that, just going through the motions, both on autopilot as they made their way out of their apartment. The whole drive neither spoke, both too afraid of the emotion that would spill over if they tried to talk. Nico held his husband’s hand the whole way, a touch that grounded him as he tried to focus on the road and not the thoughts spinning inside his head. They unloaded the car in silence, and before long they were walking into the adoption agency’s office hand in hand. The first thing Nico saw was Jessica and her mom sitting in the waiting room. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he noticed her tear stained cheeks, he squeezed Levi’s hand, trying to reassure him that it would all be okay before they walked into Sarah’s office. The two men sat down in front of her desk, setting Olive down beside them.

 

“Nico, Levi thank you for coming on such short notice.” The two men just nodded, “I’m sure you have some suspicion as to why you’re here.” Again they both nodded, feeling like robots only going through the motions not truly present in the conversation. “I am so sorry, but Jessica has decided she would like to raise her daughter.” Levi let out the breath he at been holding, and with it came crackled sobs. All Nico could do was bring his husband close and let him cry, his hand running up and down Levi’s arm. “I will give you two a minute to say your goodbyes,” Sarah said as she stood up and left her office, closing the door to give them some privacy.

 

Levi looked up at Nico his eyes pleading, “Oh god please tell me this is a nightmare, and I’m about to wake up.”

 

“I wish it was,” Nico choked out, not quite trusting his voice. Nico got up and grabbed Olive from her car seat and went to sit down next to Levi.

 

As soon as he sat down, Levi spoke through his tears, “Daddy and Papa love you, sweetie, we will never stop loving you. These eight days have been the best of our lives.” They showered her with kisses and leaned in to cuddle close to each other. And all too soon the door opened.

I’m sorry to interrupt but we are coming in.” Sarah came into the office followed closely behind by Jessica and her mom. Both stood up, Levi grabbing the diaper bag as Nico held Olive close to his chest.

 

Jessica cried as she spoke, “I am so sorry, I thought I was ready to give her up. But she’s all I can think about for the last 8 days. I need to have that chance to be her mom.”

 

Levi was the first to speak, “Make sure you put on a white noise machine when you put her down for a nap, she will fall asleep instantly if you put on the rainfall. She hates the ocean waves though, we tried that once and it took her 45 minutes to fall asleep.” Levi started to hand Jessica’s mom her diaper bag. “This is her stuffy Ella, she never got to play with it, but we want her to have it, even if it’s all she has to remember us by.” Levi let out a small whimper as he handed over the stuffed elephant. The only thing keeping Nico grounded was the weight of the sleeping baby in his arms. All too soon though Nico was giving her one last kiss on the forehead before passing her off to Levi. Levi snuggled her right before kissing her cheek and handing her off to Jessica. With that, the two men left, with an empty car seat, a little baby blanket and a hole in their hearts they weren’t sure would ever be filled.

 

The car ride home was just more silence, the only sound heard was the occasional sniffle. Nico felt like he wasn’t even in his own body like it was just a ghost doing all of the things he was supposed to do. When they got home Nico made them both tea, but before he had a chance to finish he heard a sound coming from the nursery. And his heart broke a thousand times more when he saw it, his husband, who was always so happy and optimistic, sitting at the foot of the crib sobbing with the blanket and a onesie huddled close to his chest. Levi didn’t even look when Nico sat down beside him. Levi looked up when Nico wrapped his arms around him to bring the younger man on his lap.

 

“No one even knows she existed and I feel like my world is imploding,” Levi said, tears still streaming down his face.

 

“I know baby, mine too,” was all Nico could say before pulling his husband even closer and letting him cry into his chest. Nico didn’t know how they were going to get through this. He just let Levi break down as two single tears streamed down his cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for day two of Schmico Week. Thank you justnotperfectly for organizing this week.  
> Follow me on tumblr if you can, I am schmicosmalec.


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